


Excuse Me

by kirargent



Series: Femslash Friday Ficlets [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Embarrassment, F/F, Femslash, Femslash Friday, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-01
Packaged: 2018-02-11 09:38:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2063193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirargent/pseuds/kirargent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Accidentally “borrowed” their towel at the gym au (<a href="http://jodyquills.tumblr.com/post/92626287959/aerynlallaboso-reached-for-the-last-snack-item">x</a>)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Excuse Me

**Author's Note:**

> It's Friday and there's nowhere near enough femslash in the world so.
> 
> I'm bad at titles shush

It's been a long freaking day for Bela. She'd been stuck at the office for most of it, dealing with corporate zombies who couldn't seem to do their damn jobs right, but could certainly spare the time to ogle her backside and linger outside for a smoke. Now that she's finished her workout, she's more than ready to drive home, collapse into bed with a bottle of wine, and pretend she doesn't have to go back to work again tomorrow.

The honey-vanilla shampoo feels good in her hair as she cleans away the nasty stench of chlorine, and the water is actually warm for once. It's late enough that the locker room is nearly empty: it's just her, another young woman, and a sweet old granny who's showering in her swimsuit while a little boy waits for her outside the showers, video game in hand. Bela closes her eyes to rinse the shampoo from her hair and lets out a soft sigh, tipping her head once to each side. Her shoulders and neck will ache tomorrow after today's workout, but she feels good.

The granny finishes her shower and collects her grandson and her towel, and they depart.

The other woman is still showering while Bela works conditioner into her hair. She's across the room from Bela, back turned, her face tilted into the water. Knowing she shouldn't, knowing it's the same behavior that's been grating on her own nerves all day, Bela lets her eyes wander down the curve of a shiny-wet spine, taking in long lines of gorgeous brown skin. Then she turns abruptly, cheeks warm, and rinses her hair as quickly as she can.

Her towel is soft in her hands when she tugs it down from its hook, and she buries her face in it gladly, wiping away the water. She walks slowly to her locker as she continues drying herself (neck, shoulders, arms, back), and puts in her combination with quick fingers. Stepping back, she runs the towel down her stomach, then across the small of her back; she bends, dragging the towel gently up one leg and then the other.

"Excuse me," a voice says as Bela's carefully drying her right thigh. Bela looks up. She's acutely aware of how very naked she is at the moment, but she doesn't let it show on her face.

"Can I help you?" she asks drily. The woman gives her a little smile, though it doesn't seem entirely sincere. It's difficult not to notice that she's still naked, too.

"Yeah," she says. Her voice is accented, but it's not an accent Bela can quite place. If a sound could be soft and warm and fuzzy, that's how Bela might describe the woman's voice. Wow, she really is tired. "I think you have my towel." 

Bela smiles herself, at this. It's her falsely sweet smile, her condescending one. She is way too tired to coddle this silly girl. "I think you're mistaken," she says. "This is definitely my towel." She looks down at it. Soft, white, clean: yep, definitely Bela's towel.

The woman shakes her head. "I don't think so." She's coming closer, now, in all her naked splendor; Bela takes a step back. The woman's hands brush hers as she takes an edge of the towel, holds it up to the light. She nods a little. "Yes, see?"

Sure enough, written in black, easy-to-read letters on the tag is a name: Ellie.

Bela looks up at her. She can feel her cheeks turning red - no, Bela Talbot does not  _blush_ , this is all wrong!

The woman gives her another smile. "Unless your name is Ellie, too...?"

Mortified, Bela shakes her head. "No, it's - Bela, I'm Bela, I - I'm so sorry, I..." She trails off still shaking her head. "Oh! Use mine, use my towel; it should still be on the hook."

"Thank you," Ellie says, still smiling. She leaves Bela standing hot-cheeked and naked in the middle of the locker room. Well, Bela can fix one of those things, at least.

Digging into her bag for her clothes, she remembers with sudden horror that all she's brought to change into is a set of ratty flannel pajamas. Her work clothes are in here, too, but they'll be wrinkled now, and some asshat spilled coffee on her skirt at lunch... the pajamas will have to do. With grim-faced resignation, she pulls on her underwear, slides into the soft pajamas, and sits on the bench to wait for Ellie to finish with her towel.

She folds Ellie's towel for her, while she's waiting. It's the least she can do.

Ellie emerges from a bathroom stall several moments later, wet hair dripping all over her gray t-shirt. At the sight of Ellie's jeans, Bela feels her face heating up all over again as she sits there in her crappy sleep clothes.

"I truly am sorry," she says, standing to offer Ellie her towel back.

Ellie gives her another small, warm smile, and waves her hand dismissively. "It's okay," she says. They swap towels. "But if you really want, you can make it up to me with dinner."

Bela leaves the gym with her heart racing and a phone number written on her hand.

She writes her name on the tag of each of her towels before she goes to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> [on tumblr](http://jodyquills.tumblr.com/post/93533026449/bela-ellie-accidentally-borrowed-their-towel)


End file.
